The Dylan Kohlstadt Show

Why Digital and AI Transformations Fail

"Digital transformation isn't just about adopting the latest technology," says Jay Tikam, founder of Vedanvi. In this insightful podcast, Jay shares his expert take on why 70% of digital and AI transformations fail and how businesses can avoid common pitfalls.

In our conversation, Jay explains the critical difference between a "technology first" and a "transformati...

Marketing to engineers is not the same as marketing to general B2B buyers. In this Marketing to Engineers webinar, Shift ONE’s CEO Dylan Kohlstädt unpacks exactly how technical buyers think, research, and make decisions. If you’re serious about marketing to engineers in industrial, manufacturing, or technical sectors, this session is for you.

In this webinar, you’ll learn how to:

• Understand engineers: Why engineers prio...

While the basics of marketing, like audience and persona identification, may seem straightforward, they’re often overlooked - yet remain critical for success.

As B2B marketing shifts from cold outreach to relationship-driven approaches, longer buying cycles demand that marketers refine their strategies. In this webinar, we’ll walk you through the key pillars of B2B marketing that will help you adapt and thrive in a changin...

Khensani Nobanda, the Group Managing Executive of Marketing and Corporate Affairs at Nedbank, shares her insights on purpose-led marketing, leadership, and how Nedbank is shaping the future of brand strategy.

Khensani dives deep into Nedbank’s approach to brand-building and leadership, emphasizing the importance of purpose in everything they do. Discover how the company’s brand strategy works like an iceberg, with advertis...

“We need to start answering questions and proving we’re the authority in our field,” says Irma Karsten.

AI is rewriting the rules of digital marketing, especially SEO, and I’ve got the perfect guest to unpack it all. 

In today’s episode, I'm joined by the brilliant Irma Karsten, COO of the Digital Marketing Academy and head of strategy here at Shift ONE. 

We’re diving deep into how AI is shaping SEO, from the rise of AI-generated...

"Business has a much greater calling than maximizing the financial bottom line and making shareholders wealthy," says Pete Ochs

Pete is the founder and CEO of Enterprise Stewardship, and when he joined me on the podcast, we dove deep into what it means for businesses to thrive. Not just financially, but spiritually and socially as well.

Pete's mission is simple: inspire business owners to create flo...

"Consumers are not sitting around waiting to fall in love with you," says Heidi Brauer.

When it comes to brand love and building brands, Heidi Brauer is an absolute guru. She joined me on my podcast to chat about brand love, what it means, and what it takes, and shared plenty of other marketing gems I scribbled down mid-conversation (and I bet you will too).

Watch or listen to our conversation to find o...

"In an undifferentiated category, many agencies look and sound the same, which leads to a price-focused negotiation - a race to the bottom where procurement looks at who can do the work the cheapest."

Stuart Dunk has a message for all agency and business owners who are fighting for a seat at a very crowded table.

You'll have to watch (or listen to) the interview to hear it, plus:

• What most agencies are doing wrong
• On...

"Be as crazy as possible. Be as open and broad-minded as you are, and then have people around you to pull you back down to the thing that's most workable."

Terence is a brutal podcast host (in the best way) and got me sweating with his tough questions. 

So I got my own back! Well, kind of. Thanks Terence, for joining me for this episode and sharing your knowledge.

We spoke about:

-...

"Money is the energy of appreciation."

I jotted down that quote as soon as Julie Foucht spoke the words, and there are so many more nuggets of wisdom you just have to hear.

I got to chat with Julie about a topic not many people (especially CEOs) talk about: money. But it went way deeper than dollar signs. Julie went on to share how she believes intuition, feminine power, and money are connected. 

"For me, selling my business felt like going through a breakup." 

Business owners, do yourself a favor and listen to my latest podcast episode with Kathryn Strachan (Fractional CMO, author, award-winner...the list goes on; she's a powerhouse). 

You'll find out:

- The best time to sell your business

- The most underrated skill in marketing

- What holds companies back from scaling their bu...

"Vulnerability is the birthplace of creativity."

And wow, this was definitely a first for me. I interviewed someone on my podcast, and to my surprise... he was naked.

Welcome to this wholly unique and eye-opening episode, in which I sat down with the extraordinary Simon Ekin, famously known as The Naked Speaker.

Watch the episode to learn:

- The significance of vulnerability and authent...

"If you want your business to grow, you need to have processes in place."

Ditching the usual investor stereotype, Nadia El-Tawil shows up with warmth and a personalised approach to helping businesses grow through impact investing.

She's a true fount of knowledge. Chatting with her was a delight.

We spoke about:

- How to take your business to the next level

- Nadia's p...

"Tech serves humans, not the other way around."

Words from the brilliant Nadio Granata, although I'd add: "For the time being!"

This episode has got to be the most re-scheduled podcast ever, thanks to myself and Nadio's busy schedules. But the wait was worth it - what a conversation. I hope you learn as much as I did listening to Nadio share his insights. 

In this episode, we...

"If you're not out there getting clients before you have a product, you're already dead."

This might sound a bit dramatic, but it's true.

With that being said, I'd like to welcome my latest podcast guest. I had the pleasure of speaking with David Brown, founder of Futurehand Media, who shared his expertise on the transformative role of AI in marketing and business.

In this e...

"The best investment you can make is an investment in yourself. The more you learn, the more you'll earn." - Warren Buffett

I had the privilege of interviewing Sibusiso Raphekwane, the CEO and founder of The Transformation Legacy.

We spoke about the world of small business development and the importance of transformation in the entrepreneurial journey. Busi shared her wealth of knowledge and experie...

"People follow people who are real, rather than people who are right."

This is just one of many insights quoted by Norbert Elnar, the latest guest on my podcast show and a seasoned brand builder. Norbert, born in the Philippines and now living in Germany, is the founder and CEO of Masterpiece Kingdom Brands, where he specialises in helping purpose-driven organisations craft their professional brands.

Tun...

"A Sirdar is not someone who tells you what to do. They climb with you every step of the way," says Kieron McRae. 

Beautifully put by the managing partner of the Sirdar Group, Kieron McRae. Kieron joined me to discuss corporate governance and its role in business growth and improving operational efficiency. 

Watch the conversation to learn:

- The foundational principles of corporate governance.<...

 "AI can help anyone do what they do better," says Arthur Goldstuck, the acclaimed author of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to AI'.

I had the privilege of chatting with Arthur Goldstruck about the future of AI, how it's shaking up industries worldwide, and yes, how it can take your job if you're not careful.

Tune in to learn:

- The evolution of prompt engineering. 

- R...